MURFREESBORO, TN (WSMV) -The MTSU campus community is mourning the loss of junior psychology major Darren Sirikoun, who died of pneumonia last weekend.

Sirikoun’s friends told Channel 4 he had a bad cold for several weeks and was diagnosed with the flu March 21. He was admitted to the hospital and then developed pneumonia a few days later. Sirikoun died March 25.

“It was one of those things we didn’t understand then and we don’t understand now,” said friend Landon Clark. “He was one of the most humble, most caring people I’ve ever met in my life.”

Sirikoun grew up in Smyrna and was actively involved in his church and his fraternity at MTSU.

“He felt like he belonged and he definitely belonged with us,” said Phi Tau MTSU Vice President Alex Haller. “He was a great guy and he exemplified what it means to be a member of Phi Kappa Tau.”

The fraternity has started a GoFundMe account to help Sirikoun’s family pay for medical and funeral costs. A vigil will be held at Life Point Riverdale church in Murfreesboro Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

Hi Jen.There was a piece on local radio about this year's flu deaths in San Diego, and one of the recent victims was 17 years old. Even the preppers among us tend to underestimate seasonal flu, but it can be deadly irrespective of age. Such a tragic loss of life so young.

"Buy it cheap. Stack it deep""Any community that fails to prepare, with the expectation that the federal government will come to the rescue, will be tragically wrong." Michael Leavitt, HHS Secretary.

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